Somnath (Gujarat), Jan 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Somnath Temple in Gujarat is a timeless symbol of divine presence and continues to guide generations.

PM Modi is on a three-day visit to Gujarat for the Somnath Swabhiman Parv. He arrived in Somnath on Saturday and participated in key events of the four-day-long national commemoration (January 8-11), celebrating 1000 years of unbroken faith and resilience since the first recorded attack on the Somnath Temple in January 1026 by Mahmud of Ghazni.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Somnath stands as a beacon of eternal divinity. Its sacred presence continues to guide people across generations,” and shared the highlights from Saturday’s programmes, including the Omkar Mantra chanting and drone show.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister will take part in a ‘Shaurya Yatra’ launching from Shankha Circle in Somnath at 9:45 a.m. He will subsequently offer his prayers at the Somnath Temple around 10:15 a.m.

Following this, a significant public event is scheduled at Sadbhavna Maidan, where the Prime Minister will address the audience.

In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will travel to Rajkot, where he will open the trade show and exhibition as part of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference at Marwari University at 1:35 p.m.

He is also set to inaugurate the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference for Kutch and Saurashtra at 2:00 p.m.

Later on, PM Modi will arrive at Mahatma Mandir Metro Station in Gandhinagar, where he will launch the Phase 2 route of the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project from Sector 10A to Mahatma Mandir.

The ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’ serves as a tribute to the temple’s enduring legacy as a symbol of India’s civilisational courage, spiritual strength, and repeated reconstruction despite centuries of invasions. The event highlights the sacrifices of countless devotees who defended the shrine, ensuring its revival time and again.

This year also coincides with 75 years since the modern reconstruction of the temple, inaugurated in 1951 by the then President Dr Rajendra Prasad, following efforts led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel after Independence.

–IANS

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